Sun in Polynesian style. Polynesian tortoise tattoo meaning
Tattoos in the Polynesian style among Europeans gained popularity relatively recently, in the first half of the twentieth century. Of course, they came into fashion, thanks to their complex, bizarre and unusually beautiful ornament, consisting of spirals, waves, zigzags, geometric shapes. Even modern world celebrities (for example, John Duane) were seduced by such tattoos.
But few people think about their true, original, purpose. In the archaic Polynesian culture, tattoos served not just to decorate the body, but they had a deep sacred meaning. With their help, contact was established with the transcendent upper world.
The very process of tattooing was a sacred sacrament, a rite that only a priest could perform. Each drawing had its own meaning, influencing the fate of the wearer. Such a perception of body painting in the Polynesian picture of the world goes back to the ideas and rituals of the ancient Maori tribe.
A tattoo in Polynesia was a kind of business card or, more precisely, played the role of an identity document. She reported on what kind, and at the same time, the tribe, a person belongs to, what social status he has, what feats and worthy deeds he performed in life, what he became famous for.
Sketches of Polynesian tattoos, captured in the photo, are reminiscent of ancient artistic woodcarving, which not only performs an aesthetic function, but is endowed with great sacred loading. The tree in the primitive, especially totemic consciousness was also deified, spiritualized, identified with the human body.
The human body in mythological representations was likened to the world, the Universe and in the astral understanding was divided into zones of intersection of various energy flows. It was on these areas that drawings were applied in order to block the influence of, for example, negativity, bring good into life, correct character, change or improve fate, as if rewriting what was destined by it. The result directly depended on the image and the symbolism associated with it.
- in the ancient Polynesian sense, it personifies protection, an impenetrable energy shell that will not let any evil forces into life. It also brings health, family strength, longevity.
- means eternity, interconnection and continuity of life, as well as death. Attracts life-giving warmth, Happiness, kindness, success in planned enterprises.
- considered a powerful amulet. Protects from negativity. Gives inner freedom, sophistication and attractiveness.
- gives power, power, willpower and perseverance. Protects from enemies and all harm.
- (and at the same time - gecko, iguana) reveals higher knowledge, the gift of clairvoyance, enhances supernatural abilities.
And today, in our technogenic and civilized age, tattoos on some Polynesian islands have not lost their sacred meaning and are used to communicate with higher deities.
Polynesian style tattoo video
The art of drawings on the body originated precisely in the Pacific Islands - in this way the Polynesians told about themselves to others, protected them from adversity and emphasized their special status. Read on to find out all about tattoos in this style.
Style history
Start
Polynesia is a sub-region of a thousand islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a triangle whose vertices are New Zealand, Easter Island and the Hawaiian Islands. Now it is difficult to determine when the first people appeared there - scientists tend to the middle of the first millennium BC, but they cannot name the exact year or century. But Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to reach Polynesia - in 1521 he arrived on one of the islands, which he called San Pablo. Since then, the world has gradually become acquainted with the original Polynesian culture, and especially with the culture of tattooing - this is where this art originated.
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The Polynesian style is divided into several sub-styles by the names of the islands: Hawaiian tattoos, Maori, Samoa, Tahiti, Tiki - and each of them has recognizable black ornaments.
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For Polynesians, wearable drawings are a visiting card and a kind of passport: they tell about the status in the tribe, about exploits, about spiritual development. Ornaments on the forehead show success in battles, patterns on the chin - origin, on the cheeks - the profession, on the chest and wrists - position in society. Large unfolded spirals on the buttocks speak of restoration and a kind of renewal, closed ones symbolize infinity and perfection.
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Creating a picture on the body is a sacred rite that only a priest performs: with the help of a hammer and a sharpened tooth / needle / stone, he knocks out patterns where he sprinkles the dye. The blood is wiped so that the drops do not fall on the ground.
Now
The tattoo in the Polynesian style is massive, clear and symmetrical. Geometric spirals, waves, circles, triangles are filled with black pigment, thin and wide lines, without playing with color and shadow.
The drawings use marine animals - stingrays, turtles, sharks - and images of the sun, moon, traditional Tiki mask. The meanings of all symbols are different, it is easy to make a mistake, so it is better to talk with a specialist before choosing a tattoo.
Interesting: people with tattoos in this style
The famous American actor and wrestler Dwayne Johnson, nicknamed "The Rock", made his debut in the ring in 1996, and starred in the movie for the first time in 2001. Charismatic, in good shape, he quickly gained popularity in both areas, and got into the Guinness Book of Records as the owner of the highest honorarium for the first major role.
According to Dwayne himself, every stroke in his Polynesian tattoo has a certain meaning: important events from life, memories, amulets for good luck. Well, this tattoo definitely suits him!
People have different reasons for getting a tattoo. Someone dreamed of a tattoo since childhood, who wants to become more unique; like drawings on the body and many others. The same applies to the meaning of the tattoo, if it is important, in no case will it fill it until it finds out, others just visually like it.
And yet, everyone is interested in what his tattoo means, and in this article we will analyze the meaning of style, like Polynesia.
Origin
Polynesia is a network of islands in the Pacific Ocean. It includes more than 1000 islands. Once the most famous art form on the islands was Polynesian tattoos. The process of tattooing was a sacred sacrament, which was carried out only by priests. And each drawing had its own meaning.
This style has its own sub-styles, since the tattoos on the islands were different. The Polynesians covered the entire body with tattoos, and the Maori reserved some parts of the body for tattoos, tattoos on the skin were limited. They differed visually and in semantic meaning. These are Hawaiian, Tonga, Tahiti, Amoan, Maori, etc.
A tattoo in Polynesia was something like a document that could tell about character, concessions or merits, reported about what kind and tribe a person belongs to.
Another tattoo was not just an ornament, but spoke about a person, about his status, for religious rites or sacrifices. On some islands, only priests had the right to tattoo. The peculiarity was that the tribes combined drawings, and this had a completely different meaning.
For example, a turtle means wisdom, the sun - life and longevity, and a turtle at dawn - characterized the wearer as hardworking. Therefore, if it is important to you, it is better to contact a master who works only in this style, knows the history of the tribes and their secrets.
Meaning for guys
Most often, men applied tattoos on their faces, which meant a high status in the tribe. These could be masks that meant courage, or various patterns that carried information about a person. In addition to the lower parts of the body, men tattooed their chest and wrists, which gave them status in the hierarchy. They even applied tattoos to intimate places and tongue.
Also, Polynesian warriors applied drawings in the form of a lizard or a stingray, because these are calm-looking animals, but dangerous and nimble.
The most important and sacred animal was the shark, which carried the meaning of strength and courage, so it was stuffed for priests and warriors.
Meaning for girls
Polynesian women wore tattoos from the lips to the chin, because they did not carry much information, like warriors. The main sign was the month, which was a symbol of femininity and new life. Whale means protection, preservation of life in the house.
The sun is also common among women, because it contained the meaning of eternity, the maintenance of life, and served as a talisman. For example, sunset meant the rebirth of everything.
Women are tattooed on their legs, arms or shoulder, but it looks more feminine and elegant on the shoulder blades or back. Images of lizards or a stingray, when the tail is depicted as flexible or spiral, looks more beautiful, and also means beauty and importance.
It is better not to combine Polynesian tattoos with bright and voluminous images of other styles, or make small designs, because each symbol is made up of many different parts, so they can merge into a black flame. And it will not look nice and cool as you would like.
It is better for women not to make large drawings, it will look unaesthetic. It is better to make several small ones next to each other, so it will be both more beautiful and special.
Having made yourself a tattoo in the style of Polynesia, you can be sure that the body will get a new, beautiful look that will cause delight and a desire to feel the meaning of ancient symbolism.
Polynesian tattoos, which appeared in the Pacific Islands, did not originally serve as body decoration. The Indians used wearable drawings to indicate their status in the environment, to talk about their exploits and spiritual state. Tattoos meant a lot to people: some of the drawings were able to attract the gods themselves to their side. It was impossible to throw out one detail from the general drawing, all of them concealed a deep meaning behind them. The more a person's body was decorated, the more successful and influential he was considered.
A tattoo in the Polynesian style differs from others in its unusual energy, which can attract the eye of any person. The drawings are powerful, strong, somewhere even frightening. This is not surprising, because in many of them aggressiveness is visible.
This style is done in black, but there is also a feminine version. Modern people pigment their skin more because of beauty and aesthetics, less often - with a semantic load. Therefore, girls are allowed to dilute the roughness of sketches with bright colors before getting a Polynesian tattoo on their shoulder.
By the way, Polynesian women were also tattooed, but mostly they were lips and chin.
Men are more accustomed to getting a Polynesian tattoo on their sleeve. This direction needs space, only then it will look decent on the body.
Polynesia is a region of many islands in the Pacific Ocean. These are New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii and many others.
Historically, it is believed that the art of tattooing originated in Polynesia, since even the word "tatu" itself is borrowed from the dialect of Tahiti - in the language of the Polynesians, "tatau" means drawing.
Each image, each detail was very important and carried a lot of information - from occupation to social status. Only the priests of the tribe applied the tattoo and, sometimes, the process itself took several days.
Sea expanses were overcome in a canoe. The shortcomings of primitive ships were compensated for by the courage and dexterity of the Maori. Many Indian tattoos are associated with the traditions of navigation. Let's find out what they and other symbols of the tribe are talking about. .
Maori tattoo meaning
Most of the symbols and details of the Polynesian ornament are marine life, which in itself is not surprising, because people who live on islands in the ocean inextricably link themselves and their lives with water. Also in the Polynesian tattoo, images of the sun, moon and mask-amulets - Tiki are used.
All the main plots are necessarily complemented by secondary, but no less important details of the ornament - spirals, waves, circles and other geometric elements. Let's try to understand the meaning of the main details of the Polynesian ornament.
Maori tattoo meaning - turtle
One of the most popular subjects in modern Polynesian tattooing. Different versions of the image of the tortoise shell can carry different meanings. Turtle is a balanced character, stamina, calmness and wisdom. Many peoples of Polynesia believe that the design of a turtle on the body can protect the owner of the tattoo and give him a long life.
Maori tattoo meaning - shark
The image of a shark among the Polynesians had several meanings. The shark meant the strength and wisdom of the hunter, served as a talisman against enemies and protected the fishermen from the attack of marine predators. Often, triangles in the geometric part of the ornament symbolized shark teeth.
Maori tattoo meaning - stingray
Stingray tattoo in Polynesia has very strong protective properties. Skat is freedom, calmness, deliberation of actions and hidden power, which is used only at the moment of danger.
Maori tattoo meaning - sun
The heavenly bodies helped the Indians navigate the sea. The main ones are classic Maori tattoos. Sketches with the Moon are the path of hunters and fans of their craft. The month is a sign of perseverance in achieving goals. The radiance of the night star is recognized to illuminate the path to them.
For the Polynesians, the moon had a very great importance. Hunters and fishermen were guided by the moon and stars, and the priests predicted weather phenomena. The image of the moon or month was a symbol of a strong character, leadership and good luck. Also, the hunters applied the drawing of the month to themselves so that they would be successful.
Maori tattoo meaning - lizard
The lizard patronizes strength, agility and speed. Therefore, in the tribes, lizard tattoos were applied to warriors. In Polynesian ornamentation, the lizard is often found with the tortoise or the sun, which give its power additional wisdom and good fortune.
